5 Best VPNs to watch Optus Sport abroad (outside Australia)

Want to watch Optus Sport online? Unfortunately, Optus Sport only owns the rights to stream in Australia. This means that many people are unable to live stream Optus Sport outside Australia. Fortunately, there’s a solution. By using a VPN, you’ll be able to watch Optus Sport from abroad. Here's how.

Chances are you’ve already tried to watch Optus Sport outside Australia and found the content to be blocked. You’ll likely come across the following error message: “Optus Sport is unavailable in your location. We noticed that you’re attempting to view Optus Sport content. Access is restricted to viewers within Australia only.”

Geo-restricted content isn’t uncommon and for this reason, many people choose to use a VPN to access the likes of Netflix, ESPN, Sky Go and, of course, Optus Sport.

In case you’re unfamiliar with the term, a VPN is a Virtual Private Network. Not only does a VPN serve to hide your IP address and location, but it also lets you unblock Optus Sport abroad. This means you can access restricted content while surfing the web more safely than ever before.

Download and install the VPN software. Be sure to choose the right version for your operating system.

Select one of the VPN’s Australian servers (this is the only country that Optus Sport is available in) to obtain an Australian IP address.

Access Optus Sport via your new VPN (set to an Australia-based server). The content should now be unblocked.

Enjoy watching the various sports content on Optus Sport!

Note that in order to sign up for Optus Sport, you’ll have to download the Optus Sport app available on Android, iOS and Apple TV. Please note that the app is region-restricted, so you may have to make changes to your Android or Apple account to access it.

So how are you supposed to choose between the many different VPNs available? We’ve helped narrow down the options by finding the 5 best VPNs for Optus Sport outside Australia. We discuss these in detail below but here’s an at-a-glance look at our top picks.

ExpressVPNOur top pick for Optus Sport! Has a large network of fast, reliable servers that are adept at unblocking. Includes a 30-day money-back guarantee.

ExpressVPN is the best VPN for watching Optus Sport outside Australia. One of the main reasons for this is that ExpressVPN has six high speed servers in Australia at time of writing. These are located in the cities of Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. ExpressVPN has over 2,000 VPN servers across 94 countries, allowing you to unblock content around the world including Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Video and HBO Go.

While the quantity of servers is important, quality is of even greater importance. Our experience with ExpressVPN has always been positive thanks to the high speed servers. Unlimited bandwidth means you can download as much as you want while streaming is constant with little to no buffering or lag. Switching servers with ExpressVPN is quick and easy with the user-friendly app. For this reason, we recommend ExpressVPN to anyone, regardless of their experience with VPNs.

The best paid VPNs not only unblock the likes of Optus Sport but also ensure your online safety in the process. ExpressVPN excels in this respect since it offers plenty of security features. You can expect 256-bit AES encryption as well as DNS leak protection. A kill switch stops your IP address from being leaked should the VPN server connection drop. Crucially, ExpressVPN is a private VPN that keeps no identifying logs of your connection or activity.

ExpressVPN is available for Windows, Android, Linux, MacOS and iOS. It’s also compatible with Linux as well as routers for setting up a home VPN. In both cases, manual configuration is required. You can also use ExpressVPN as a browser extension for Chrome, Firefox and Safari.

NordVPN is a VPN with over 220 servers in Australia. The sheer number available means you should have no problem streaming Optus Sport abroad. You can find servers located in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. Indeed, there are over 5,100 servers across 62 countries around the globe. Needless to say, this makes NordVPN an excellent VPN for unblocking Optus Sport as well as the likes of Netflix, BBC iPlayer, HBO Go and Hulu.

Streaming with NordVPN is stress-free since it’s a VPN that offers both fast speeds and unlimited bandwidth. Not only is it possible to use NordVPN on up to 6 devices simultaneously (great for families), you also havethe option of specialty servers (Double VPN, P2P, Onion Over VPN and Dedicated IP). It’s the sheer choice of servers and server types that makes NordVPN such an attractive option. However, NordVPN also has all of the security features expected including 256-bit AES encryption, DNS leak protection and an automatic kill switch. A strict no logs policy means you can surf the web with peace of mind.

NordVPN is available for Windows, Android, MacOS and iOS while there’s also browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox. If you have Linux, note that some manual setup is required.

Pros:

Operates close to 200 servers in Australia

Speedy enough for HD streaming and unblocks popular channels

Apps for Windows, MacOS, iOS, Linux and Android

Support staff are knowledgeable and helpful

Cons:

Automatic server selection may not fit all use cases

Suffered a data breach in 2018

Our score:

4.5 out of 5

BEST BUDGET VPN:NordVPN is a good option that works well with Optus Sport while abroad. Strong security features and allows up to 6 devices to be used simultaneously from one account. Includes a 30-day money back guarantee.

CyberGhost is a reliable VPN that we’ve found to be particularly easy to use. It has 50 servers in Australia which are located in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. Overall, CyberGhost has an impressive network of more than 3,000 servers – more than most VPNs on the market. When you’re not streaming Optus Sport with CyberGhost, you can let CyberGhost automatically choose the best country and server, optimising your VPN experience.

We found CyberGhost to provide fast and consistent streaming speeds and appreciate that there’s unlimited bandwidth and traffic. This high quality performance can be experienced on up to 7 devices simultaneously – this is more than most VPNs allow. CyberGhost is also a very safe VPN with a strict no logs policy as well as 256-bit AES encryption, DNS and IP leak protection and a kill switch. If you have any doubts about choosing CyberGhost, there’s an excellent 24/7 live chat support feature as well as a generous 45-day money-back guarantee.

CyberGhost is available for Windows, Android, MacOS, and iOS. It’s also available for Linux and routers with some manual setup needed.

Pros:

With over 70 servers throughout Australia, has no issues unblocking Optus Sports from almost anywhere

IPVanish is a US-based VPN provider with 68 servers located in Australia alone. In total, IPVanish has over 1,100 servers worldwide in more than 60 countries. This means that you can not only use IPVanish to watch Optus Sport outside Australia but also the likes of BBC iPlayer and HBO Go. This is a VPN that offers particularly fast speeds for uninterrupted streaming. What’s more, you can use IPVanish on as many as 10 devices simultaneously, making this an excellent VPN for families and friends.

Aside from being very fast, IPVanish is user-friendly and makes switching servers nice and simple. Security is also extremely important in a VPN and IPVanish does offer 256-bit AES encryption, DNS leak protection, and a kill switch. A strict zero-logs policy and the possibility of anonymous signup and payment means that you can use IPVanish with your personal information intact.

IPVanish is available for Windows, Android, MacOS, and iOS. Manual setup is needed for Linux and routers.

Pros:

Own and operate servers in Australia

Good unblocking capabilities and streams in HD speeds

Strong encryption and privacy protections

Favorite among Fire TV Stick and Kodi remote control users

Cons:

Look elsewhere if you need to use apps in China

Our score:

4 out of 5

UP TO 10 DEVICES:IPVanish has a decent network of servers and handles multiple connections well. Easy to use and preferred by users who need high standards of privacy. Good for Opus Sport but can’t unblock as many other streaming services as some of its rivals. 7-day money-back guarantee.

PrivateVPN is a small Swedish VPN provider with around 100 servers in 57 countries. While it only has 1 server in Australia (Sydney), PrivateVPN does work well for streaming Optus Sport abroad. Indeed, it offers higher speeds than most paid VPNs and can also unblock Netflix, BBC iPlayer and Amazon Prime Video. Our experience with PrivateVPN has been very positive with consistent streaming and no buffering or lag. This is down to the unlimited bandwidth and speed offered.

Your activities are kept private with 256-bit AES encryption and protection against DNS and lPv6 leaks. A kill switch is enabled by default so that internet traffic is cut off should the VPN connection drop. It’s also important to know that PrivateVPN has a strict no-logging policy. We found Private VPN’s customer support to be quick and responsive in our enquiries, which is not always the case even with some paid VPNs.

PrivateVPN is available for Windows, Android, MacOS, and iOS. Linux and routers do require manual configuration.

Pros:

Unblocks Optus Sports and other Australian streaming sites from abroad

Can I watch Optus Sport with a free VPN?

Yes, some free VPNs will also allow you to watch Optus Sport. However, we don’t recommend free VPNs for a number of reasons. Generally speaking, free VPNs offer poor performance. You’ll find that servers can be slow while video buffering and lag tend to be excessive. This is expected since so many people are choosing to use the same free VPN. If there are too many users and too few servers, as well as caps on data and bandwidth, you’re going encounter a lot of limitations.

We’ve found that free VPNs are not as safe as paid VPNs. With fewer security features on offer, a free VPN may help you unblock a particular streaming service but it may not have a kill switch, for example. This means that your IP address and location could be exposed should the connection to the VPN server drop even for a second. What’s more, many free VPNs keep logs of user activity. If you’re not paying for the product, you probably are the product. Some free VPNs make money from selling your data to third parties and by targeting you with ads.

An increasing number of sites are finding ways to block VPNs. Many free VPNs struggle to get past VPN blockers. However, the very best paid VPNs are constantly looking for new ways to combat anti-VPN firewalls. That’s why it’s still possible to use the likes of ExpressVPN to unblock Netflix, for example. A free VPN may be free but you can always enjoy a free trial of a paid VPN with a money-back guarantee. Chances are you’ll find the superior performance, enhanced security and increased privacy are good value for money.

What can I watch on Optus Sport?

Optus Sport focuses almost entirely on football (or “soccer” depending on where you’re from!). Here’s what you can watch on Optus Sport: